Chapter 283: The Mercenary Clan Settles In
Chapter 283: The Mercenary Clan Settles In
“Gag! Gag!”
“Ugh, you shouldn’t try to force yourself to throw up. It’s bad for you.”
“Gag, gag, gag, gag!”
“Ah, Miss Ahn Sol. Please, stop…”
Despite Shin Sangyong's attempts to stop her, Ahn Sol's index finger was relentlessly plunging in and out of her throat. But the elixir had already gone down her esophagus long ago. Furthermore, a message had already appeared in the air before her: 『2 points have been added to your remaining Magic Power (Exclusive) points.』
“Uwaah…”
After several fruitless gags failed to bring the elixir back up, Ahn Sol straightened her back, her eyes welling with tears. Not knowing what to do, Shin Sangyong just scratched the back of his neck before speaking in a gentle, soothing voice.
“Ah, I'm sure you already know this, but I'm telling you just in case. Using the points right now would be a very poor choice. It would be best to save them as long as possible and consider using them in about two years, when your stat growth begins to stagnate… Oof!”
“Waaah!”
But what he got in return was a burst of tears from Ahn Sol and a headbutt delivered with all her might. Caught off guard by the blow, Shin Sangyong clutched his stomach and doubled over as she ran up the stairs, sobbing her heart out. Soon, a cry of “Orabeoni!” was heard from the second floor, suggesting she was going to tattle to Kim Soohyun.
“Ha, haha. Well now…”
Although she had rammed into him with all her strength, it didn't seem to hurt much. Shin Sangyong rubbed his stomach with an awkward smile.
Lim Hanna had watched the entire series of events unfold. Her expression as she looked at Shin Sangyong was a mixture of surprise and amusement. She stared at him silently for a moment before slowly parting her lips.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, what? Ah, yes. I’m… fine.”
“Still, it was a gift from the Mercenary Lord himself… She must be furious~.”
“Yes, well. I'd be angry too, if I were her. I-I just feel sorry about it. That's why I'm planning to make a quick escape.”
Despite his uncharacteristically playful words, there wasn't a hint of regret in Shin Sangyong's expression. If anything, he looked relieved.
“Aren't you disappointed? Sol is a Year 0 User, so she still has potential to grow, but you don't, Mr. Shin.”
“I'm a User, too. To be honest, of course I'm disappointed.”
“Then why…”
“I have already received so much since I joined the Leader. The Leader kept his promise. Now it's my turn to keep mine.”
“A promise?”
As Lim Hanna tilted her head, a smile spread across Shin Sangyong's lips. His eyes seemed to grow distant as if recalling something, and he continued in a calm voice.
“I once studied alchemy. Even though I was fundamentally a mage, I couldn't overcome my greed and learned it. Utterly useless alchemy, that is.”
“…”
“I was as good as dead. If things had gone as they should have, I would have vanished without a trace somewhere in Mule by now. But as if by a stroke of heavenly luck, my life was saved by the Mercenary Lord. The Leader… he's a truly incredible person. Not just as a User, but as a human being. At least, that's what I believe.”
Lim Hanna tapped her index fingers together, her hands clasped. Shin Sangyong, perhaps feeling awkward after speaking at length for the first time in a while, swallowed hard. Then, he let out a short breath and continued.
“That's not all. The Leader returned all my equipment without any conditions, granted my unreasonable request to learn from my master, and later even gave me a Rare Class. Thanks to him, I was able to break through a wall I had been stuck at. Thinking back on the emotions I felt then still makes my heart swell.”
“Ah, so you owe him your life. Still, wouldn't it also be fine to take the elixir, improve your skills, and contribute more to his future plans? You could see it as a win-win.”
“When I joined this group, I swore to serve with the utmost loyalty. But humans are cunning creatures. When a favor is repeated, one starts to mistake it for a right. I want to preserve the feelings I had back then. The moment I accepted that Magic Power Elixir, I felt I would lose my original resolve. I don't want to become a beast that repays kindness with injustice.”
Shin Sangyong finished his speech in one breath. Then he let out a surprised "Huh?" his eyes widening. He seemed to be surprised at himself for not stuttering even once. Then, with a look of alarm, he glanced at the stairs, gave an awkward laugh, and turned to leave.
“Oh, no. It looks like the Clan Lord is coming down. I'll have to ask for forgiveness later; for now, I must flee. I'm completely drained after arguing for nearly an hour about whether to accept it or not.”
“Go left. I'll tell him you went right.”
“I'd be grateful if you did. Well then, I'll be off…”
As if exhausted by his conversation with Kim Soohyun, Shin Sangyong scurried out the door.
Watching him disappear to the left, Lim Hanna unclasped her hands and wrapped her arms around her elbows. The motion naturally pushed her already large breasts together, accentuating their fullness.
“Hmm. I'm jealous.”
Lim Hanna glanced at the stairs with a peculiar look in her eyes, then darted her tongue out to wet her lips.
*
“We absolutely, unconditionally have to get him.”
The Istantel Low Clan House. The reception room, meant for entertaining guests, was ringing with Park Dayeon's voice. A total of three people were seated inside the lavishly decorated room. At a glossy table, Park Dayeon and Yeon Hyerim sat facing each other, while Han Soyoung occupied the head seat with a blank expression.
“Damn it, when is he coming? I sent a message to the Temple yesterday, what's the deal with him still not being here?”
“Hyerim. We just got word that he's on his way. Just wait patiently. And don't you dare say things like that in front of the Mercenary Lord.”
“It's fine. We're close. We got to know each other a bit at the Academy. Hoho. But before that... didn't you used to dislike him?”
“That was because Soyoung did something ridiculous. But things are different now.”
At Park Dayeon's words, Yeon Hyerim gave a knowing smile. She leaned forward, stealthily reached out her hand, and asked, “What's so different?” as she began to gently grope Park Dayeon's body. With a practiced move, Park Dayeon brushed Yeon Hyerim's hand away. She glared and growled.
“The situation has changed. Mercenary's stock is already skyrocketing. We need to claim him quickly before anyone else can.”
“I know that much. Wasn't that the plan all along?”
“There's a difference in proof. Honestly, their record in Mule seemed so much like publicity that I was skeptical. But Mercenary went and successfully completed the Canyon of Illusions expedition as if to show off, and even came back with rescued Users.”
“Right, so what's the difference between then and now?”
“Agh, seriously! Why do you think Mercenary accepted the request instead of focusing on establishing themselves? In short, they were showing off. 'We have this level of skill! Our achievements in Mule weren't a fluke!' That's what they're saying. On top of that, they'll get even stronger from succeeding in this expedition. Do you still not get it?”
Only after Park Dayeon snapped at her did Yeon Hyerim pout and retract her mischievous hand. Park Dayeon snorted at Yeon Hyerim, then started humming and doing a little shoulder dance.
“Hmph, hmph. I was already sick of seeing those Goryeo Clan bastards acting all high and mighty just because the Haemil Clan came out of Prinsica. This is great, just great. Hmph, hmph.”
“Haemil? What's Haemil?”
“Kim Yoohyun made a clan a while ago, right? The clan's name is Haemil. I heard it means 'a clear sky after the rain'.”
“Kim Yoohyun? Ah, the Thunder Emperor?”
“Yes. Anyway, we also need to get Mercenary…”
There were only three people, and only two of them were speaking. Yet the decibel level filling the reception room was steadily rising, as if they had endless things to say.
In a way, it wasn't particularly strange. Monica was such a safe city that events within and around it were always much the same. Perhaps for that reason, the storm Mercenary had kicked up with their latest expedition was more than enough to become the talk of the town for Users steeped in boredom.
The clamor that had been ringing through the room died down only after a herald brought news that the Mercenary Lord was on his way to the reception room.
“Everyone, quiet.”
At that, Han Soyoung, who had been sitting quietly and sipping her tea, spoke up, and Park Dayeon and Yeon Hyerim immediately fell silent.
A brief silence passed. Soon, a knock came at the door.
“Come in.”
It was Park Dayeon who answered. Her voice, now carrying a gentle tone, was completely different from when she had been making a fuss earlier. As Yeon Hyerim watched with a look of disbelief, the closed door slowly opened. And through the opening, a man clad in a coat of plate, guided by a servant, appeared.
He glanced around at the people inside and spoke in a low voice.
“Hello.”
“Welcome, Mercenary Lord. Please, have a seat here.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
After the servant closed the door, the man—no, Kim Soohyun—slowly sat in the seat Han Soyoung had indicated.
Han Soyoung carefully observed Kim Soohyun's face as he fiddled with his teacup. He felt a little different from the last time she had seen him. His lips were pressed firmly together, and his eyes gave off a cold light. While his impression was still chilly, today there was an unidentifiable shadow of worry about him.
“Are you alright?”
“Hm? Ah, yes. I'm fine. It's just…”
He opened his lips once, then closed them. Han Soyoung tilted her head. But she soon came up with a guess. The expedition was a success and they had gained a lot, so he should have been happy. The fact that he looked worried must mean there was a problem within the clan. Most likely, it was a conflict over the distribution of equipment.
As the leader of a clan herself, Han Soyoung knew very well how sensitive an issue that could be. With that in mind, she let out a faint sigh and offered him some comfort.
“Stay strong. The Clan Lord's position is most important at times like these.”
“Pardon?”
Kim Soohyun blinked and asked again.
In that moment, Han Soyoung instinctively realized: Did I guess wrong? She quickly picked up her teacup, took a sip, and swiftly changed the subject.
“I heard the report about the expedition through the Temple. You worked hard, Mercenary Lord.”
*
Michael was one of the Residents of Monica who had been granted the authority to establish clans. Lately, his irritation level had been rising day by day.
As if the constant flood of work—clan establishments, performance approvals, and so on—wasn't enough, the noise around him was grating on his nerves, making matters worse. He had a rough idea of the reason, but for someone who preferred to work in a quiet environment, the situation was entirely unwelcome.
“Crazy bastards. They want me to approve this as an achievement? They should have some shame, some shame.”
Michael, who had been fuming while reviewing the records, tossed the document he was reading aside with a snort. Just as he was pinching the bridge of his nose against a wave of fatigue and about to look at the next record, someone burst into the room, out of breath.
“Hey! Michael!”
“Hen? Is something urgent?”
“The Shadow Queen was here! The Shadow Queen!”
“The Shadow Queen? Ah, one of the Ten Strong?”
As Michael muttered nonchalantly, Hen nodded his head frantically. Then he quickly thrust forward the paper he was holding.
“Yes. Take a look at this. It's the clan member renewal application she left.”
“Damn it, one of the Ten Strong is just one of the Ten Strong. It's not like this is the first time we've seen one. What's all the fuss? Tsk. Let me see.”
Although he was annoyed, Michael silently took the record Hen offered him. He figured that since Hen had a personality similar to his own, there must be a good reason for him to be making such a fuss. He slowly began to examine it from the top. At the top of the record, as Hen had said, were the words 'Clan Renewal Application,' and next to it, 'Mercenary Clan' was written in a rounded script.
“Mercenary? Ten members in total…”
“Skip that for now. Look at the clan member details in the middle. I can't tell if my eyes are playing tricks on me or if there's an error in my granted authority.”
“Hmm.”
Michael quickly lowered his gaze to the middle section. The names and classes of the clan members were neatly written there.
Kim Soohyun: Secret, Sword Specialist
Ahn Hyun: Rare, Aura Spearman
Ahn Sol: Normal, Priestess
Lee Yoojung: Rare, Dawn Gladiator
Vivian la Classidus: Rare, Chimera Alchemist
Jung Hayeon: Secret, Mage of the Blue Moon
Shin Sangyong: Rare, Chimera Alchemist
Ko Yeonju: Secret, Shadow Queen
Kim Hanbyul: Secret, Jewel Mage
Baek Hangyul: Secret, Aegis
He was in the middle of reading the record with a look that said, What's the big deal? when he noticed something strange. Michael's eyebrows twitched violently.
“Huh? Shit, what is this?”
“What do you think?”
“A total of ten members, and five of them are Secret Classes? And four are Rare Classes?”
“Which leaves one Normal Class. Right?”
“What is this? Is this for real?”
Michael lifted his head in a daze. Hen, however, was muttering with a sigh of relief, “Thank goodness. My authority hasn't disappeared after all.”